Men's Chinos Guide: Fit, Colour and How to Wear Them
Chinos · 49 Ashe Street, Tralee
The trousers you'll wear more than any other — so get the fit right.
A good pair of chinos sits on your waist without a belt holding it up, runs clean through the thigh and just touches the top of your shoe. Buy navy first and stone second. Below: the three fits we stock, the colours worth owning, how to wear chinos through an Irish winter, and how to get the size right.
Start here
Slim, modern or straight: which chino fit?
Fit matters more than the label. Here's how the three cuts differ, and what we have of each on the rails.
| Fit | How it's cut | On our rails |
|---|---|---|
| Slim | Narrow through the thigh, tapered to a small ankle. Best on a slimmer build and with trainers. | Tommy Hilfiger Bleecker, 7 For All Mankind Slimmy, Gant slim twill |
| Modern | Room in the seat and thigh, tapered from the knee down. The fit that suits most men. | Bugatti 4130, Meyer Oslo, Meyer M5 Six |
| Straight & regular | The same width from thigh to hem. Right for broader legs, for boots and for a classic look. | Tommy Hilfiger Denton, Meyer M5, Meyer Roma, Casa Moda Chris |
Not sure? Start with a modern fit.
It's the cut most men are comfortable in from the first try. The Bugatti 4130 comes in navy, beige, dark grey, brown, dark brown and bottle green, with a little stretch in the cotton.
Colour
Which colour chinos to buy first
- 1Navy. Goes with every shirt and jumper you own, and passes for smart with a blazer. If you only buy one pair, this is it.
- 2Stone or beige. The classic chino colour. Best with navy, white and every shade of blue.
- 3Grey. The quiet one: easy with black, white and knitwear, and good with a navy blazer.
- 4Green, olive or brown. This winter's colours, and the easiest way to look like you made an effort without trying too hard.
One rule: don't match your chinos to your jacket. Navy chinos with a navy blazer looks like a suit that didn't quite work out — go a shade lighter or darker. Want a softer green? Casa Moda's Chris chino in Four Leaf Clover (€100) wears almost like a neutral.
Three ways to wear them
How to wear chinos in winter
Chinos aren't only for summer. In a Kerry winter they do most of the work between a suit and jeans.
Getting the size right
How chinos should fit
Five checks in the fitting room mirror.
- Waist: sits where it should without a belt. Two fingers fit inside the waistband; a fist doesn't.
- Seat: smooth, with no pulling across the front pockets and no sag behind.
- Thigh: you can pinch about an inch of cloth either side.
- Length: a slight break or none — the hem just touches the top of the shoe. With trainers, a fraction shorter.
- Stretch: most of ours have a little elastane in the cotton and give slightly with wear. Between two sizes in a stretch chino? Try the smaller one first.
Waist sizes run from 30 to 44, depending on the brand, and most of our chinos come in short, regular and long leg, so you rarely need the hem taken up. If you do, trousers are altered here in the shop — just ask when you're trying them on.
On the rails now
The chinos we stock
See every pair, with sizes in stock, in trousers & chinos. Free delivery in Ireland over €95, or free Click & Collect from the shop.
Straight answers
Questions we get asked
What colour chinos should I buy first?
Navy. It goes with almost every shirt and jumper and can be dressed up with a blazer. Stone or beige is the second pair, then grey. Green, olive or brown are the ones to add for winter.
Should chinos be tight or loose?
Neither. They should sit on the waist without a belt holding them up, lie smooth over the seat, and leave about an inch of cloth to pinch at the thigh. If the front pockets pull open, go up a size.
How long should chinos be?
With a slight break or none: the hem should just touch the top of your shoe. Worn with trainers, a fraction shorter looks sharper. Most of our chinos come in short, regular and long leg.
Can you wear chinos to the office or to a wedding?
To most offices, yes — navy or grey chinos with a shirt and a blazer. To a wedding, only if the invitation says smart casual; for most Irish weddings a suit is still the safer choice.
Where can I buy men's chinos in Tralee?
At Ryle Menswear, 49 Ashe Street, Tralee: Bugatti, Meyer, Tommy Hilfiger, Casa Moda, Gant and 7 For All Mankind, in waist 30 to 44. You can also order online with delivery across Ireland, free over €95, or Click & Collect from the shop for free.
Bring the shoes you'll wear them with
Try three fits in ten minutes
Slim, modern and straight side by side in the mirror — it decides itself. Open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.
Ryle Menswear — 49 Ashe Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Dressing Kerry men since 1965.
Shop by brand: Bugatti · Meyer · Tommy Hilfiger · Casa Moda